A Different Life
by SilentDaughter
Summary: What if it wasn't Carlisle who found Esme in the morgue in Ashland. What if she didn't even make it to the hospital? What would her life be like and the lives of the characters if Esme was reborn as something other than a vampire? If she didn't make it to the hospital, then who found her? Hope it lives up to your expectations of something different. All characters eventually.
1. Chapter 1

Weightlessness. Freedom. Timeless. I remembered nothing between the time I stepped off the cliff until my body hit the freezing water some hundred feet below. There was one fleeting thought, however as I was suspended between Heaven and Earth. I thought of how soon I would be with my son among the stars. The sweet baby boy I had lost so early on in his short life.

I would be with my son and Him soon, greeting family and friends who have moved on to the next life. I just hope I'm not punished for my actions tonight. If so, then I wish to see my son, one last time before the fate of my soul is decided.

I don't know how long I was adrift in the tormenting waters and the merciless rocks before I washed ashore. I knew I had drifted in and out of consciousness a few times but I had yet to move on. But now I was joined by another person. He looked incredibly pale, but at the same time almost flawless. He stood over me, examining me most likely deciding if I was worth saving. Then he spoke.

"You shall make an interesting addition to my coven." And the last thing I remembered before the searing pain and the haunting memories of my life, were his red eyes.

It seemed like the burning lasted ten lifetimes. It spread until it seemed like it engulfed my entire body, not allowing me any relief from this personal hell I'm in and eventually, the pain became too intense for me to even scream and cry so I suffered in silence.

I thought about my parents and the last time I spoke with them. They scolded me for not being a good enough wife to Charles. I remember the abuse I suffered at his hands. Escaping from the abuse when I learned I was pregnant and hiding at a cousin's house in Milwaukee. Then when she let it slip that I was there, I ran again at almost eight months along and then giving birth to my son who died in my arms hours later.

Maybe I deserved this burning. Maybe I deserved it for disobeying my parents and for being a bad wife to Charles. Maybe I deserved it for the death of my son. But surly I didn't deserve it for trying to protect him, did I?

So when after is seemed like a millennia and the fire coursing through my veins begin to fade, I prayed to Him for stopping the burning, but it was soon replaced with an even greater intensity that caused me scream louder than before. I wasn't sure how long it lasted for sure, but it certainly lasted far shorter than the first fire.

So by the time I finally had control over my body, I half expected the fire to come back.

"It's nice to finally see that you're awake, my dear." I remembered that voice. It was the same one that spoke to me on the shore of the lake. Quicker than I could comprehend, I sat up and searched for the voice that spoke. It was a man with shoulder length hair so dark it qualified as black. A little behind him, I noticed, were two other men. One looked younger with blond hair and a scrutinizing look. The other man had long brown hair and seemed more compassionate than the other two.

"Who are you? Where am I?" I asked as I back up along the bed I was sitting in. Bed? I must have been moved here at some point.

"I am Aro. And this is Caius," Aro motioned to the blond haired man. "and this is Marcus." He motioned to the brown haired man.

"You are in Volterra, Italy, my dear, and we are the Volturi. We uphold the laws of our kind, but it seems like you are a special creature." Aro said. He looked at me like he was almost transfixed. He held out his hand.

"May I?" He asked and unsure, I tentatively gave him my hand. At the moment of contact, I felt an uncomfortable pressure on my mind and wanted to snatch my hand back but this man was incredibly strong and firmly kept my hand in his. After a few moments, he let go and let out a delighted chuckle. He turned to the other men.

"Brothers, it seems like we have come across an ethereal creature. She remembers everything of her past and much, much more." He turned to me and held out his hand again. I didn't offer my hand to him this time.

"Don't worry. I won't read you again." Aro reassured. Hesitantly, I accepted his hand and unlike last time, there was no pressure in my mind. And as I stood, I realized that I shouldn't have been able to. My body had been battered and broken as the waves violently smashed my body against the rocks. But before I could ask how I had been healed, Aro spoke.

"While you were…recovering…my wife, Athenodora cleaned you and dressed you in new clothes. We also had the liberty of sending someone for your personal artifacts." Aro said and motioned to a few boxes that lay in the corner of the room. I guess this was to be my room for however long I stayed or would I be allowed to leave? I hoped they would let me have my choice. Aro began talking again.

"You certainly are something special, my dear. We haven't seen anyone of your kind in quite some time." He said and again, I became confused.

"My kind?" I asked. He have a joyous chuckle and his brothers followed us from the room. We walked down the long stone hallway until we came to a set of massive, heavy double wooden doors. Caius pushed the doors open to reveal a library that seemed to go on forever and ever.

"My brothers and I did some…research, while you were in transformation." Aro began.

"Transformation?" I asked. I'm not sure if I want to know what I am now.

"Yes, my dear. Your transformation lasted almost an entire year. Normal transformations only last a few days. We did quite a lot of research in that time and have come up with a few possibilities as to what you are exactly." He said and began to pull out a few books from one of the nearby shelves. He opened the books to one page each. I read the contents of the first book.

"'Rod Fae. In Slavic mythology, the rod are the spirits of deceased female ancestors and are considered to be the goddesses of fate and fairies. As three women, they appear at the cradle of a new born and decide the child's fate'," I looked to the next book.

"'Garden Fae. You will find these fairies among the flowers dancing and playing, wearing flowering gowns with their transparent wings. At dawn, they pour out blessings upon the world.'" I read the passages and thought of the absurdity of the situation.

"This is absolutely absurd. I am not some mythical creature that goes fluttering by." I said as I slammed the book that was in my hands closed.

"But we are vampires, my dear. As surly we are vampires; you could be something entirely mythical." Aro said

"What is your name?" Marcus asked suddenly.

"Esme." He nodded his head and took a seat in their closest to him.

"We would prefer you to stay here with us where we can figure out what you are exactly. There are others of our kind who would take you for granted and own personal power. We could offer you protection and security." Caius said, though the words sounded forced and the least bit genuine. I had nowhere to go. I had attempted to kill myself and surly my family believed me dead and if I did return, I would only be subjected to Charles abuse. Then again, I didn't want to leave and become someone else's tool in a quest for power. I had no choice but to stay. I gave a slight nod of my head and Aro gave a joyous laugh.

"Wonderful" He turned to Caius and Marcus. "Let us send word of a new Volturi Queen."


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is the next chapter. I still haven't decided what I want Esme to be yet, and if I can't find something that fits what I want to work, then I'll still have her as a vampire with some incredibly special abilities. Suggestions always welcome for mythical creatures and general suggestions. **

**Have any of you yet thought about the reasons Aro wanted Esme to stay? Carlisle will be making an appearance within the next chapter or two. **

Weeks have gone by and the three brothers have subjected me to a variety of tests. Some of the tests weren't so bad. The ones where I had to focus on another's gifts were the worst. Especially Jane's.

Caius had had the oh so brilliant idea to test me to see if I was a shield. He then proceeded to let Jane unleash her full ability on my mind. The pain was unbearable and crippling, but at the same time, it made me want to stop the pain that much more.

But as of now, I sit in the training room in the underbelly of the castle, my senses incapacitated by Alec's ability. I absolutely hated having my senses stripped from me. I couldn't see or hear anything, but I could feel everything around me. Just like I knew someone was approaching from the left in a position to attack and just as they lunged, I dodged and hissed. Soon after, my senses were returned to me.

"How did you do that?" Aro asked, disbelief and the ever present happiness in his voice and expression. I shrugged.

"I couldn't hear or see anything, but I could feel whoever attacked approach. Why do you seem shocked?" I asked. I hope these sessions of tests are over soon.

"Alec's gift is supposed to strip a person of _all_ their senses. Only your sight and hearing were impaired." Marcus explained. Marcus, I liked. He was more compassionate than the other two and ended the tests sooner than Aro or Caius would.

"Oh. Surely I'm not the only one who had only partial loss of the senses?" I asked. From what I understood, there were hundreds and thousands of vampires roaming the Earth. Caius shook his head.

"Of course no one has been able to keep some of their senses intact. Except you." Caius said. I liked him the least. He was a bitter man and didn't seem to care about anyone else. He and Marcus were complete opposites.

"Yes, well, this certainly is a new development in discovering your abilities. We will of course have to see if you can gain control over the senses that Alec blocks, but for now, todays tests are over. Esme, freshen up and return to the throne room in one hour. We have a rebel to be dealt with." Aro said as a dismissal and gave a polite bow before taking my leave.

My room was two floors above where the training area was. I had been moved to a room that was almost four times as big as the room I had woken up in and upon entering. I immediately latched the lock to the door, walked to the attached bathroom and stripped of my dress and drew water into the claw footed tub and when the water was at a desirable level, I stepped in and relaxed in the water.

I thought about the people I had known in my life. I missed my father dearly. I feel like he was really the only one who cared for my wellbeing. He allowed me more freedom than my mother would have liked and I guess that led to the multitude of fights that ensued all throughout my childhood. I thought of the few friends I had and how they had impacted my life. I thought about the students I taught and how they had me looking forward to motherhood and how they brightened my day. I thought of my darling baby boy. How I missed him so. I carried him within me for nine months before he came into the world kicking and screaming. He was taken from me and from life entirely too soon. He never got to experience everything he should have, but I find comfort that he is at peace.

After a few more moments of relaxing in the tub, I pull the stopper and stand, grabbing the towel off its shelf above the tub. Wrapping it around me, I step out of the tub and go back to my room and more specifically, the closet.

I dried off and pulled a deep blue dress from the hangers and slipped it on. I hated when these pretty dresses got ruined during the tests.

I brushed my hair and pulled it into a tight braid. I didn't bother much with shoes anymore since they got ruined during the tests; so instead, I slipped the coven's medallion around my neck. The chain was too long so the medallion rested against the stomach. Deciding I looked decent enough, I left the comfort of my room and headed to the throne room.

"Ah, there you are. Right on time as always. Come, sit. We have someone very special coming in." Aro said and motioned to the chair that sat between his and the one that belonged to Marcus. Having no other choice, I took my seat as the brothers did and waited for the guards to bring in the accused.

Soon enough, the heavy double doors opened up and Demetri and Felix came in, half dragging a man behind them.

"Jasper Whitlock. Accused of exposing our kind to the humans." Demetri gave the man a shove and he stumbled forward.

"Ah, Mr. Whitlock. How does a great Soldier of the South like you end up here?" Aro asked. I knew now that the chances of this man living were becoming slimmer and slimmer every second. I had seen a handful of executions in the weeks I have been here to know how this all works. Aro loves to play with the accused's minds before he kills.

"I didn't expose our secret. Maria told a human and let her go. She told me that I needed to work hard for my food. I can show you if you don't believe me." Mr. Whitlock had a southern drawl and shaggy dirty blond hair.

"If you wish." Aro stood from his throne and walked to where Mr. Whitlock kneeled. Aro took the Southerners hand between his own and made the soldier's memories and thoughts his own. And after a moment, he released Mr. Whitlock's hand and came to stand in front of his throne.

"He has done nothing to warrant an execution. His creator, however, does. Demetri, Felix, find this, Maria, and bring her here." Aro dismissed the guards and with a low bow, they turned and left. Aro turned back to Mr. Whitlock.

"I have a preposition for you. In exchange for immunity for the alleged crime, I would like for you to teach my…sister, in the arts of hand to hand combat. And from what I have heard, you are the most skilled fighter there is." Aro baited the young man and I mentally pleaded with him to take the offer. Not for my sake but for him. I saw Mr. Whitlock's eyes glance at me before he turned back to Aro.

"I accept." The Southerner said and Aro let loose his patented overly happy exclamation and a clap of the hands before he commanded Jane to sow Mr. Whitlock to one of the guest rooms.

"I will send someone for you in precisely a half an hour. We will begin training then." Aro said and waved them off. He turned to me.

"You have the best instructor to teach you." He said and walked away, Caius following a step behind him, leaving Marcus and I standing on the dais.

"I am sorry, my dear. Maybe tomorrow he will allow you more rest." He said and he gently patted my cheek before he too left, leaving me alone.

Deciding I had nothing better to do, I ran to my room and changed into a pair of trousers and a blouse, an outfit I didn't mind ruining. I laid the dress out on the bed and left my room, heading to gardens.

I loved going to the gardens. For one, no one was ever here. It was mainly just for aesthetics so I took the advantage and walked through them whenever the opportunity arose. It was also in the gardens where I realized that I was capable of so much more, both mentally and physically. It was there that I realized exactly how much I was still _human. _I used the bathroom, I slept, I got hungry, although I could go for days without eating and be fine, I got tired, I got hurt and bruised and bled. I still had my cycles which were far and few between. I discovered a few of my talents here as well, something I dare not tell Aro or Caius.

It was here that I discovered I could heal. A baby bird had fallen from its nest and had broken a wing. I gently picked him –or her- up and cradled it gently in my hands. I thought if there was anything I could do to help him when I felt like something had hit me full force in the head and soon the baby bird was flapping its wing, trying to fly. Moments later, he was air born and fling to its mother.

I wish I could stay here forever and not have to go back, but I knew that they only wanted to protect me. I stayed in garden for a while longer before going to the training room. The brothers were already there with Mr. Whitlock and a majority of the guard were also there.

This training was more enjoyable than the rest of them were. There was never any pain and I was in full control of myself. Mr. Whitlock coached me through numerous stances, defenses, attacks, tricks, and methods. Now I can see why is called the Southern Soldier.

"Excellent. Next time, widen your stance just a bit and keep your arms closer to your person." Mr. Whitlock said as he got up off of the ground. I had managed to pin him only a handful of times out of our dozens of matches in the last few hours.

"That was much better than the last fight." He turned to Aro. "I believe she has practiced enough for today. If you will, let her rest and we will continue tomorrow." Mr. Whitlock suggested and Aro gave a wave of the hand. Mr. Whitlock bowed to the brothers and me before he left to hunt, presumably. I turned to the brothers.

"I bid you goodnight." I said and only Marcus replied with his own goodnight. I left and went back to my room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Another chapter for my lovely readers. This time there is a considerable time jump in the story of about 50 years. **

**For those who are a bit confused, Esme wasn't treated by Carlisle when she broke her limb as a human because here, they're going to meet in a different way; her transformation lasted about a year which made the year 1922 when she 'woke up', making the year now, 1972. **

**How did you guys like the brief encounter with the surprise character? I have a reason why Esme met Jasper first, so you'll just have to bear with me here for a while longer, but in this chapter, Esme DOES meet Carlisle, along with the rest of the family (except for Bella). And she also meets a very small person.**

**I apologize if the last chapter was a bit all over the place. I've been busy with school and a mini episode of the dreaded case of writers block and I promise to try and do better in this chapter and next ones. **

The years passed by in what felt like seconds. And by the time my first and second year approached and passed, I was completely used to just about everything that went on in the castle.

A lot of things happened in the years I stayed there. I had been trained by Jasper Whitlock for a four and half years before he deemed me fully trained. He stayed with us for a few more years before he retired to the states. The tests still continued but only Jane's and Alec's tests stopped because I was fully able to withstand their gifts. I had discovered a few minor abilities in recent years as well. Besides healing, I could do the complete opposite and cause harm. I also discovered I had been able to change the color of my eyes, even though that discovery had been a complete accident.

I was allowed to roam the city unaccompanied now that I was a skilled fighter and often spent my time in the cities and the garden, of course, the city being my current location. I loved walking the streets, especially at night like it was now. During the day, I liked watching the people interacting and the loud music that was played by street musicians and radios. I liked eating the food too. Most of it was good, but there were some I refused to eat. But spaghetti is by far my favorite.

It was then that a loud bang reverberated through the city. Accompanying the bang were loud, frightened screams. Following the screams for about a mile, I found what had possibly been a robbery gone wrong. A woman lay in the streets, no older than twenty seven, surrounded by a pool of her own blood. A bullet to the head had been the cause of death. In a way she was lucky. She most likely felt no pain of the sudden death, but that's not what shocked me. It was the tiny person who screamed and wriggled in a make shift carrier a foot away. Hesitantly, I approached and moved its blanket aside. Inside was an infant, no older than four or five months.

Gently, I pick the crying infant up and cradled it in my arms. I checked for any injuries but only found that it had soiled its diaper. Next, I searched the carrier. Only the blanket, a pacifier, and a few diapers were there. I wrapped the baby in the blanket and offered the pacifier, hoping it would calm him or her down. The child accepted the pacifier and its cries lowered into soft whimpers. I picked up the cradle and holding the child securely in my right arm, I ran back to the castle. I went through the throne room because it was the quickest way to my room. I had hoped that it would be empty, but luck wasn't on my side.

"Esme? Is that a child?" Marcus asked. I stopped and addressed him.

"Yes. I was out for a walk with I heard something. I went to see what was going on and found its mother dead. A shot to the head. The child was in its carrier a mere foot from her body." I said and readjusted the infant in my arms.

"What are you going to do with it?" Caius asked, a sneer on his face. I looked at him and glared.

"The child is going to stay with me and if anyone hurts the child, there is going to be a world of pain." I said and turned my backs on the three kings and continued to my room. I closed the door behind me with a kick of the foot and set the carrier down on a nearby chair. I turned to my bed and carefully laid the child down.

"Alright little one, let's get you cleaned up." I cooed softly before I began to undress the child. I cleaned the baby up and disposed of the dirty diaper. Again, I wrapped the child in a blanket and walked to the bathroom. I set it in the carrier as I filled the tub half way up with warm water. I brought the child into my arms again. Leaving the blanket in the carrier, I stepped into the tub and set the child against me.

He or she began to whine upon coming in contact with the water but calmed down soon as I poured a little bit of water over its back. I hummed quietly as I washed the baby and smiled when the baby let out a mighty yawn. The water was lavender scented and fairly warm, so I knew that played a major roll of lulling the baby to sleep. I used scented water because I didn't want to tempt anyone with the scent of the mother's blood on either myself or the child, so using scented water and bathing really was the best way to rid of the scent.

Carefully, I stood and wrapped a smaller towel around the baby before walking back into my room. I laid the baby on the bed again and gently dried it off before putting it in a fresh diaper. I left the child in the middle of the bed surrounded by pillows while I dressed in a dark green dress. I wrapped the child black in the blanket and left my room, heading to the library, the warmest room of the castle. Again, there were others inhabiting the library.

"How is the child doing, Esme?" It was Marcus who asked. I gave a slight smile and sat in one of the wing back chairs. I pulled my legs up and leaned back into the chair, resting the baby against my chest.

"The baby seems healthy from what I could tell. I will bring the baby to a hospital tomorrow for a full checkup. I will also have to go and buy clothing and all the necessities as well. I don't plan on giving the child up." I said as reinforcement. Marcus nodded and returned a small smile of his own.

"You don't have to worry about any of that. I have sent Jane and Demetri to go and buy all the necessities the child might need for the next few years. They should be back at any moment. I have also sent for a dear friend of mine who happens to be a doctor. If this child means something to you, then I trust only him to care for the health of your child." Aro said as he came into the library and sat adjacent to Marcus and me. I gave him a nod of thanks and it was quiet for a while before Marcus spoke again.

"Do you know what the child is?" He asked and I nodded.

"The child's female. I don't know of the name her mother gave her at birth, but I have to call her something." I said as I looked down at the sleeping baby on my chest.

"What are you going to name her? I will have a birth certificate drawn up for you." Aro offered and I thought for a moment before I thought of a name I liked best.

"Sophia Josephine." I said and smiled as she fisted a lock of my hair in her fist as a reflex.

The next three days passed by in a blur. I spent ninety nine percent of my time with baby Sophia. The only time I wasn't with her was when there was an execution or some training and Sophia was usually with the human 'receptionist'.

Anyway, today was the day that Aro's doctor friend was to be arriving along with his coven of five. I was kind of excited to meet them and only because Aro had informed me that these vampires feed off of animals, so they posed no threat to my daughter. Daughter. That was a word I was going to have to get used to. I was a mother to a son, who lived a few short hours, but now I was a mother to a daughter and I would do my hardest to protect her. I was pulled from my reverie when there was a knock on my door.

"Esme. Aro sends for you. The doctor is here with his coven." Jane spoke through the door. I picked up Sophia and left the confines of my room and walked with Jane to the throne room. We entered via a door that was behind the dais and Aro stood.

"There you are sister, come meet my dear friend Carlisle and his family." Aro said with a happy enthusiasm. I transferred Sophia to Jane and stepped forward with Aro. I noticed that a blond woman hissed upon seeing Jane take the infant into her care. The big man next to her nudged her and she silenced her hisses.

"Esme, this is Carlisle Cullen. He is a doctor from the states. He stayed here for a few decades about a century and a half ago. Carlisle, this is Esme, my sister in all purposes and queen of Volterra." Aro introduced us and Carlisle bowed politely. There was something familiar about this man. He was the blond man I had seen in Aro's study. I touched my hand briefly to Aro's, allowing him to see my thoughts. He gave a chuckle and the bronze hair boy from Carlisle's coven also chuckled. I turned to look at him, as did the rest of his coven.

"She recognizes Carlisle from the painting in Aro's office." He explained and I saw Carlisle smile. There was something about this man that made me incredibly curious.

"Let me introduce my family." Carlisle began. "This is Edward, Rosalie and her husband Emmett. Alice and her husband Jasper." Carlisle introduced and they all gave a polite nod.

"Jasper. It's nice to see you again. I see you made your travels in the States fairly rewarding." I said and he smiled.

"Yes ma'am. My travels were very rewarding. How have you been in combat?" He asked as he stepped forward and we embraced in a hug.

"I may have improved a little and added my own strategies to a few of the stances." I said and he smiled again.

"I just might have to challenge you to see if you are still as excellent as I claimed you were." He set the challenge and I nodded. I normally hated fights, but on occasions like this, I couldn't pass up a challenge.

"You know her?" The blonde named Rosalie asked, disbelief and a slight anger evident in her voice.

"I stayed here for almost a decade after Maria caused some problems. So instead of being sentenced, I was given the opportunity to train Esme in the art of hand to hand combat. We became friends almost instantly. We may have caused some…mischief around the city." Jasper said, a smirk on his face.

"Why don't we move to the common room? We can get, comfortable, while Carlisle checks Miss. Sophia." Aro suggested and I walked to Jane and took Sophia back. I walked a step behind Aro as we all made our way to the common room.

"May I?" Carlisle asked as he set his medical bag down on the table and held his arms out for Sophia. Even though I really didn't want to, I handed Sophia over and watched his every movement with her and at times, watched him.

"Can I ask you a question?" I turned to the burly man who spoke. I nodded.

"What are you exactly? I don't intend to sound rude, but you're not a human and you're heart beat is slightly faster than any other humans." He said and Rosalie gave him a sharp nudge with her elbow. I smiled.

"I don't know what I am. My transformation lasted a little under a year. I have some abilities, but other than that, I don't know." I said. The other lone male in the group, Edward addressed his family.

"She still has human functions. She eats, uses the bathroom, sleeps, gets injured, and so much more." He looked to me for clarification and I nodded.

"Do you know, drink blood?" Emmett asked.

"No. I eat and drink human foods. I'm not exactly a vampire." I reminded him and he nodded. I turned my focus back to Sophia and Carlisle.

"How is she?" I asked as I took a step closer.

"She's completely healthy. I gave her an injection that other infants her age would normally receive that helps prevent certain illnesses. Her weight is healthy and her reflexes are strong and perfect." He informed me as he handed Sophia back to me. I held her against me and kissed the top of her head.

"Thank you." I said to Carlisle and he just gave me a smile. I instantly found myself wanting to see him smile more. That wasn't exactly normal. I've known this man for all of half an hour and I already like his smile? What's wrong with me?

"I think I'm going to go out to the gardens. You're all welcome to join me if you'd like." I extended them the offer and they nodded. I picked up one of the baby blankets and started for outside. Leading the way this time, I lead them to the gardens outside and to my favorite spot. I set out the blanket and sat in front of it, settling Sophia on the blanket. I found that she was capable of rolling over and she was already trying to sit up. The others sat in various spots in front of me, Carlisle sitting the closest to me.

"It's beautiful out here." Alice said, speaking up for the first time. I nodded.

"I might have added some things and re-renovated, during my time here. But it really is beautiful." I agreed with Alice. In my time here, I had expended the garden by a few hundred feet. On the blanket, Sophia rolled over and propped herself up on her elbows. I guess she made a face at Rosalie because Rosalie laughed and pulled a face to Sophia, who in turn, giggled.

"Kids' cute. She's gonna be a real heartbreaker when she gets older." Emmett said and I had to agree with him. Edward smirked at my train of thought.

"Esme agrees with you, Emmett." Edward said and Emmett smiled. I turned to Edward.

'_What is she thinking?' _I asked him mentally. I saw his attention focus on my child before he chuckled.

"She's a little in awe over how light Rose's hair is. She's never seen hair that light. Earlier she was thinking about what Carlisle was doing with her ears and her eyes. She likes the sound of your voice. And when you hold her." He revealed Sophia's thoughts and as if knowing we were talking about her, she rolled over again onto her back. I pulled a slight face at her and she smiled and gurgled.

"She wants you to hold her." Edward said. Immediately, I gently pulled her into my arms and sat her in my lap, facing her towards the rest of the beings in front of us.

I turned towards Carlisle. "How long did you stay with the Brothers?" I asked. He sighed and took a second to think.

"About forty years. Give or take a few years." He said and waited for me to ask another question.

"How old are you?" I asked and that elected a chuckle from him and a few others.

"Physically, 23. Realistically, over 300." He said and mentally, my jaw dropped. I had never met another vampire that had been older than a few members of the guard. I know that the brothers are thousands of years old, but for whatever reason, Carlisle continued to fascinate me.

"How old are you?" He asked in turn. I heard Emmett mumble something and Edward burst out laughing, but I never caught what he said.

"When I was turned, I was 26. Not including my human age, 54." I admitted and again Emmett spoke up. This time I did hear him.

"Hey! You're almost as old as Edward is." HE said and Rosalie rolled her eyes at his remark. I smiled and wrapped the end of my robe around Sophia and I. I didn't want her to get a cold.

"Aro mentioned something about unique about your transformation, if you don't mind, why was it so different?" Rosalie asked.

"Aro found me in Wisconsin and bit me. And as you already know, my transformation lasted a little under a year, thus resulting me…becoming…something other than the expected newborn vampire. I have been doing some research during my time here, and so far, I haven't found anything solid." I said.

"What have you found so far? If you don't mind me asking." Carlisle asked a bit sheepishly. I flashed a small smile.

"From what Marcus has found, the evidence is pointed towards a Fae. I paused, letting the information sink in.

"Like a fairy?" Emmett asked, his forehead creased with confusion.

"Kind of. Your version of a Fairy is most likely different than my version and because of certain…gifts or abilities, we have been able to narrow the species of Fae to two kinds. A Rod Fae or a Garden Fae." I said and Carlisle cut in.

"Rod Fae. In Slavic mythology, the Rods are the spirits of deceased female ancestors and are considered to be the goddesses of fate and fairies. As three women, they appear at the cradle of a new born and decide the child's fate." He stated as if he were reading the information out of a textbook. It was then that I realized that he had probably read some of the books in the brother's library during his time here.

"And the Garden Fae bring blessings to the earth and life. They are more closely depicted to your kind of Fairy with the white gown and wings, but so far, I don't have wings." I said and shrugged, causing Sophia to grunt.

"Yet?" Rosalie asked. Before I could say anything, Alice cut in.

"She will experience a few more gifts and abilities before she figures out what she is, well rather has an idea of what she thinks she is." She said a far off look in her face. I guessed that she was able to see the future like I had assumed she could. Aro had hinted of the gifts this coven possessed before they arrived.

We talked for a long while more before Alice informed me that Sophia was going to fall asleep in the next fifteen minutes, so figuring that now would be the best time to give her her bottle and put her to sleep for the night. I excused myself to my room where I gave Sophia her bottle and sat in the rocking chair. I sang softly to her while we rocked and I watched as her eyes grew heavier and heavier. And when she finally fell asleep, I carefully put her in the cherry oak crib and kissed her forehead.

"Good night, Sophia. I'll see you in the morning." I promised and left the confines of my room, but not before turning on the monitor and seeking out Gina, the human 'receptionist'.

I walked the halls silently, unsure of where to go now. Usually, I would go out to the gardens, but I preferred to be alone, or with Sophia. So instead, I made my way to the common rooms. Seeing it was empty, I made my way to the oak desk that was nestled in a corner of the room. I got out my paints and thin canvas and continued on the picture I had started a few days before I found Sophia. It was a painting of my parents standing on the porch of our farm house in Ohio. It was a short time pf happiness just after I found out I was pregnant. Charles had been too hung-over to make the trip to my parents with me. It was the last time I saw them. I had been leaving and turned around once before getting into the car. Both my mom and Dad had been smiling and waving. My father had his arm around my mother's waist and she leaned into his embrace. And a few days later, I fled for the life of my child and myself.

Even now I missed them. But now, I realized that they had probably moved on and more than likely, passed on. My father probably suffered from my loss more than my mother had, but I missed them with an equal amount of anguish.

Finishing my painting, I applied a bit of plastic powder and set it next to the painting of my little boy. I sighed and turned back to my desk, already thinking about something else I could paint. However, instead, I had come face to face with Carlisle. Not expecting him to be there, I involuntarily took in a sharp inhale and a shaky exhale.

"My goodness!" I exclaimed as I put my hand over my heart, willing it to calm down. Carlisle looked apologetic.

"My apologies, Esme. It was never my intention to scare you. Perhaps I should have gained your attention first." He apologized and all I could do was nod.

"It's quite alright. I didn't hear you enter. Is there anything I could help you with?" I asked and he motioned to the chair that was a few feet from my desk. Only when I nodded did he take a seat. Carlisle was a perfect gentleman. He always asked me permission to sit in my presence before he actually took a seat.

"I came to ask you if you would like to take a walk with me around the city, but you seemed so focused on your painting that I didn't want to interrupt you. The offer still stands however." He extended the proverbial olive branch and I latched on with both hands.

"That would be nice, thank you." I stood and he waited until I was next to him before he began walking. We walked through the castle and a little ways into the city in a companionable silence, until he broke it, that is.

"Who were you painting, if you don't mind me asking." He asked, his voice curious.

"My parents. It was the last time I saw them before my 'death'." I admitted and he nodded.

"I was born and raised on a farm in Columbus, Ohio. When I was twenty three, I married Charles Evenson. It wasn't out of love, but to make my mother happy. At first he seemed like the typical newlywed man. He would bring me home flowers and small gifts and was genuinely caring. After the first six months, he made a complete 360. He became abusive, a drunk, and incredibly angry. And by the time he received the draft letter, I was happy that he would be gone and I would have some freedom back. The night before he left, he forced himself upon me and beat me mercilessly. For an entire year, I was able to reestablish some of the friendships I had lost due to my marriage to Charles.

When he came back, I had expected the war to have changed him for the better, but again, he proved to be just as abusive, if not worse. It was a few months later when I discovered I was pregnant. Of course I had to tell Charles, but only because my doctor had let something slip. The painting from earlier was of the last time I saw them and that was when I had announced my pregnancy. I ran a few days later. No child deserved to grow up with an abusive father. I ran to Milwaukee where my cousin Helena lived. I stayed with her for several months before she accidently told my mother in a letter that my child had become incredibly active and allowed me little rest.

I left soon after when she told me that Charles was on his way to get me. I fled to Ashland where I gave birth to my son. It was the best three days of my life. He died of a lung fever in my arms. And after he died, I felt that I had nothing to live for, so I jumped off a cliff. Aro found me on the shore, on the brink of death. He's the one who changed me and guided me these last few decades. Although Marcus has had more of a guiding hand, so to speak." I don't know why I had told him my life's story. Although I had only known him for almost a day, I felt comfortable around him, more at ease.

Carlisle was silent for a while before he tentatively gave my hand a squeeze before letting go. I could see the anger in his eyes. I could also see the compassion and devastation there as well. But why would my tragic life affect him so? I knew he was a compassionate man by nature, but why did I have such a large impact on him? It was a few minutes later that he told me of his own history. He had been born in the 1600's. His father had been a pastor who lived to rid the word of witched and vampires and the accused of evil. He made Carlisle watch the burnings at a young age and eventually had him continue hunting for the so called monsters. It was then that Carlisle and the hunting party he led was attacked by a vampire. He had been the lucky one. He had been bitten and left to burn while the other men had been drained of their life's forces.

He had his in a pile of rotten potatoes before fleeing upon the completion of his transformation. HE had tried to starve himself and end his life like I had mine, but his attempts had been unsuccessful. That's when he learned that he could survive on the blood of animals, rather than taking innocent lives.

We spent the entire night and into the early hours of the morning talking about everything we could think of. And it was on the way back to the castle that we had come across an unfamiliar scent, well _scents_, actually.

Carlisle suddenly became tense and focused his senses on the areas around us. He took my forearm in his grasp and quickened our pace. We didn't evade the scents however, they found us.

"What do we have 'ere?" My head snapped to the male vampire who spoke. He stood roof top a handful of yards away from where Carlisle and I now stood. The man's accent sounded like he could have come from Ireland or Scotland. Two more males appeared from the darkened alleyways.

"Looks like we go't a vampire wit a human female. Tell me laddie, how is that workin' out?" A man asked. Next to me, Carlisle gave a warning hiss that only made the men laugh.

"Protective are we now. Don't worry, we don't want a whole lot from 'er." The third man said, causing Carlisle to growl louder and push me slightly behind him. The first male snarled in response to Carlisle's warning growl, causing Carlisle in turn to drop into a protective stance. I followed suit a moment after him.

"Tell me lad, how good is she? You wouldn't be that protective if she was half bad." The men prodded. I knew if they continued, a fight would ensue, and although we were outnumbered, I'm positive I had more experience and could handle two of them at once.

"You're only making the situation worse." I warned as another growl forced its way from Carlisle's chest. The second man chuckled.

"Any wha' are you goin to do, girlie? You're too small ta take us on yourself." He goaded.

"Well it's good she doesn't have to."

**Sorry to leave you guys with a cliff hanger, but I kinda had to. **

**What did you think of this chapter? Did it live up to your expectations or did something's move too fast? **

**I love you guys who took the time to review and comment, a million thanks to you guys, and even more thanks to the five of you who have started following the story. Reviews always welcome for ideas and criticisms. **

**This is my longest chapter so far at ten pages. Hopefully the chapters will get a bit longer as my story line progresses. **

**As always, thank you for reading my story and until next time, **

** -SilentDaughter**


	4. Chapter 4

**As promised, here's the next chapter. So what do you think of the cliff hanger from the last chapter? Was it a bit too cruel, or was the suspense just right. I only have three days of school left, so now with the summer almost upon us, I'll *Hopefully* be able to post more chapters.**

**Anyway…..here's the next chapter. **

* * *

Carlisle and I turned to the new voice at the same moment. It was Jane who had spoken.

"Lookie 'ere. We go't us 'nother toy." The second man said. Instantly, he has bent with pain from Jane's ability and the other two watched in with fear.

"Bring them to the castle. Aro would like to meet with them." She said, her voice bored. Before the three males had any time to react, a few members of the guard flew out from surrounding alleyways and caught the men. Almost immediately, the guards began heading for the castle, Jane leading the way. Carlisle was still in a slightly protective stance.

Gently and cautiously, I touched his shoulder and he snapped out of defense mode. He immediately looked apologetic.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. Please forgive me." He asked and put a respectable amount of distance between us.

"It's not a problem, really. But you're forgiven." I said and he nodded. He motioned behind him and we ran back towards the castle. We got back to the castle faster than I had anticipated, but it was probably due to the fact that I was too lost in my own thoughts. Why had Carlisle moved so quickly to put himself in between myself and the other vampires? Why did his growls and hisses sound so protective? Carlisle's only known me for less than a day.

"Esme. Your presence is requested by Aro for the sentencing of the threats." Alec gave a slight bow whilst he relayed information. I nodded and he stayed a few steps behind me while I walked to the throne room. I noticed that Carlisle also followed behind.

"Ah, there you are, Sister." Aro greeted and stood up. I noticed that the three males had been forced to a kneeling position and Jane was standing by. I didn't miss the look Marcus flashed me.

"Aro." I greeted in kind and took my place at the dais. Alec went and stood by Jane while Carlisle stood by the door.

"Are these the…men…who threatened you?" Aro asked. I nodded, knowing that there was nothing I could do now to help these men. They were now at the complete mercy of my brothers.

"Do you know what the punishment for endangering a Royalty is?" Aro asked, his voice curious yet the same high pitched tone. As suspected, none of the males said anything, but the younger one hissed.

"Jane." Was all Aro needed to say before the male's hisses were replaced with ear splitting screams. They too, were silenced after an agonizing moments.

"I'm going to ask again. Do you know what the punishment is?" Aro stood us and they males had the right mind to stay quiet this time. Behind the accused and the guards, I was aware of the rest of the Cullen's' rushing in. They stood next to Carlisle and from the look on Edwards face, he had either read one of our minds or had seen what Alice had envisioned.

"You," Aro pointed to the one who had hissed. "You wanted a chance to attack my sister. This is going to be your only chance. If you manage to beat her in hand to hand combat, you and your friends will be free to go. Fail and you shall be put to death. Do you understand?" Aro asked and the man nodded.

"But first, what is your name?" Caius asked as Felix let the man go with a kick to the back. The man stood up.

"Xavier." I stood and removed my cloak and my jewelry. I folded my cloak and placed it upon the seat of the throne and placed all my jewelry on my cloak. During the brief informational challenge, Jane had braded my hair, knowing that ultimately, I would be fighting. I walked down the three steps of the dais and came to stand in front of my opponent.

Without any warning, he lunged and I only had a fraction of a second to react. He lunged a second and third time before I saw the opportunity to jab him in the side. He stumbled back a few paces before he went on the offense again. He charged and I flipped over him, grabbing the material of his shirt and as I landed, used my momentum to fling him over me and into the far wall. The wall crumbled and a large portion broke off as he fell to the ground. He didn't stay down for long though, so with a snarl, he stood and rushed me again. He threw a series of punches that were too fast for me to block all of them. I grunted when he landed a sharp jab to my hip and another to my ribs. I managed to land a few of my own before he clawed at me, tearing my dress and leaving a series of gashes.

Now I was mad. The next he moved to take a hold on me, I slid to the side and tried to find a grip on his neck and when I found it, I dug my fingers into his diamond skin. But before I could finish my opponent off, he screamed and fell at my feet. I took a few steps back and pushed a few locks of hair out of my face. Xavier kept screaming and figured it was Jane who ended the fight early.

"Well done sister. As much as I would like to see this fight continue, I wouldn't want any more harm to come to you." Aro said to me and I nodded my head. Caius spoke to the other two men who had been brought here with Xavier.

"Since your friend lost, you will be sentenced to death, after the guards have some…fun with you first, of course." He said and the two turned on Xavier in rage. Soon enough, they were incapacitated by Alec's gift and they were taken from the room. With one last look to the brothers on the dais, I took my leave and made my way back to my room to clean up. I closed the door behind me and immediately stripped myself of the dress I was wearing. It was tattered and ruined. It was a pity really because it was my favorite dress. So in just my undergarments, I went to the attached bathroom and examined the scratches that went from the side of my ribs to my stomach. I prodded around one of the more serious wounds and hissed as a few trickles of blood seeped from the wound and pain shot up my spine.

I grabbed a wash cloth and wet it with cold water from the sink and tried to clean the wound as best as I could without causing myself anymore pain. And when I was satisfied that I had cleaned my wounds as best as I could, I wrapped my midsection in gauze. It was a lot more painful trying to dress myself in trousers and a loose fitting blouse. Dresses were out of the question because as the standard attire, they were all form fitting and I didn't want the material irritating my side.

I walked over to Sophia's crib a smiled when I realized that she had managed to sleep through my fight with Xavier. I fussed with her blanket for a moment before I ran a finger over her cheek and then reluctantly left my room.

* * *

I wandered the halls of the castle, slightly surprised that I had not yet run into anyone. But as always, I spoke too soon.

"Esme. May I talk to you for a moment?" Marcus asked as he walked towards where I stood. I nodded my consent and he motioned for us to continue walking.

"You are well aware of my gift, are you not?" He asked and for a moment I was confused. Of course I knew about his gift. Aro had informed me of all the gifts the guards and he and Marcus had on the first day.

"I have been noticing that your bond to the Cullen's has been getting stronger and stronger since they arrived." He said as we turned down another corridor. Again I was confused. Of course my bond to the Cullen's was strengthening. As I got to know them better and interact with them, I involuntarily formed bonds with them.

"I don't understand what you're getting at." I said and for the briefest of moments, he smiled.

"It's good that you're forming bonds with another coven besides our own. Especially Carlisle. Your bond with him is different than the bonds you have with the others." He said and he began to walk in front of me.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked as I began walking a bit faster to keep up with him. He, however, only sped up his pace.

"I believe you will find out for yourself in time, my fear." And with that, Marcus took off, leaving me standing alone in the corridor. I sighed and began walking back the way I came. I was getting hungry and figured it would be as good a time as ever to get something to eat and since the castle didn't have a kitchen –still- I would have to go out and get some food.

I had just settled in the garden with my favorite spaghetti from my favorite restaurant when the Cullen's jumped over the high stone wall that separated the gardens and the woods.

"Oh, my apologies. We can leave you to eat in peace." Carlisle said and I mentally snorted. I caught the chuckle Edward let escape.

"You don't have to leave. I'm not going to kick you out of the garden I have no rulings over. Everyone should be able to enjoy the gardens if they so wish." I said and it seemed to pacify the coven. Like yesterday, they sat in the grass, each with their respective partners, save for Carlisle and Edward.

"You still eat the same meal, Esme? I shouldn't be surprised." Jasper teased with a smirk and I threw a noodle at him. I caught the look Alice sent my way when the sauce seeped into his shirt. I just smiled and glanced at the shirt and in an instant, the stain was gone. I went back to eating but I could feel that the Cullen's' attention was on me.

"What?" I asked after I had swallowed the food.

"That was pretty cool." Emmett said and Rosalie shot him a look.

"Since when have you been able to do that?" Jasper asked as he examined the shirt that had been stained just a moment ago. I shrugged. Emmett reached over and grabbed the spaghetti noodle that was laying in the grass and flung it at Edward, who in turn, flung it at Rosalie.

"Hey!" Rosalie's shout was mixed with disdain and humor and like with Jasper, both the stains on their clothing was gone in an instant. Edward and Rosalie continued to bicker and I watched the banter while I ate.

"Does that really taste as good as they say?" Emmett asked as he pointed to my meal. I shrugged and ripped off a small portion of garlic bread; put a few noodles and some sauce with Parmesan cheese before holding it out to him. He looked to Alice but she didn't give anything away and judging from the look in Edwards face, his reacting was going to comical to the rest of us. Without any hesitation, he stuffed the food into his mouth and began chewing. Within a few milliseconds, his expression had gone from curious to being disgusted. He swallowed the little food I gave him and shook his head, as if the taste would go away.

"I need to hunt." And with that, Emmett jumped up and back over the wall. The rest of us looked at each other and we burst out laughing and we hadn't completely quit laughing when Emmett came back.

"Haha very funny." He said with a playful smile on his face. I finished eating and decided to save what was left for later. We were silent for a while and took in the tranquility of the garden.

"What happened back there? Alice had a vision and Edward looked horrified and pissed." Rosalie asked. I shrugged and snuck a glance at Carlisle. He just looked at me and nodded.

"We went for a walk around the city, and when the sun began to come up, we decided to start heading back. We were…intercepted…by a wandering group of vampires. They began harassing us, suggesting things. That's when we got into defensive positions and Jane found us. The rest you know because you were there." I finished with a noncommittal wave of my hand and then leaned back on outstretched arms.

"But it was Carlisle who placed himself between you and the threat." Alice pointed out and those who didn't know looked between Carlisle and I.

"It was merely instinct. Me being the weaker of the two, the more vampire side of him felt the need to protect me." I dismissed and I saw the looked Alice gave me. She shrugged and leaned back against Jasper.

* * *

We talked for a while longer before Alice was sucked into a vision. Her face was blank, but Edwards quickly turned to one of anger and horror. My senses were immediately in alert, as was everyone else´s.

"Alice, what did you see?" Carlisle asked her, his voice calm but panicked.

"The coven Xavier and the other two men are coming for revenge. They're gathering muscle so they'll be here in a few days." Alice said as she stood. I also stood up.

"What's going to happen?" I asked as I took a step closer. She was brought into another vision. This one was a lot longer than the previous one.

"The fight could go any number of ways depending on who fights and who doesn't. Alice keeps trying for different scenarios, but she keeps seeing the same three visions." Edward filled in as his sister kept trying to find other possibilities.

"What are the most solid ones?" Emmett asked as he folded his arms and took a step closer to Rosalie.

"The clearest one she's seeing is Esme and Sophia fleeing with us at the insistence of Aro and Marcus. If she and the baby come with us, then the Volturi win. The second scenario she sees is Esme staying to fight and sending Sophia with us. In that case, Esme dies and so do Carlisle and myself." My heart stopped beating. I certainly didn't want to die, but I didn't want to abandon my home either. I turned my attention back to Edward.

"And the last one?" I asked, almost too afraid of what he was going to stay.

"We all stay to fight and you hide Sophia with Gina. Sophia begins to cry and a few of the enemies hear her and they go to…investigate. You follow after them and try to fight them off. Carlisle helps you but they kill Sophia anyways and your grief, you become unguarded and they kill you too, along with Carlisle and Rosalie." His voice shakes with pain and anger when he says that they will kill me and my daughter and Carlisle and Rosalie. Alice was snapped out of her vision and she latched herself to Jasper.

"I guess the decision has already been made." I said, my voice just slightly above a whisper. There was no way that I was going to let this coven or my daughter die.

* * *

**There you have it. Another completed chapter, as promised. I apologize for the wait to my faithful readers for taking a while. I am now officially on summer vacations, so be expecting more updates. **

**ANOTHER cliff hanger and a WHOLE lot of drama in one chapter, but I promise that I will make it up to you all later. Which decision do you think Esme made (Even though its pretty obvious)? I was deliberation about hose Marcus would hint to Esme about her bond with Carlisle and I had a few good ideas, so I literally went and combined them all to one scene.**

**I have picked up a new obsession recently in the form of _Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, _so if I don't get an update out in a few days, its most likely I'm watching endless episodes of the show. **

**Finally, as always, reviews and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome. I would like to see what you guys come up with and I'll see if I can try to fit them into my plot along the way. Thank you to those who took the time to review and the ones who are following my story and added it to your favorites list. Hopefully, this chapter lived up to your expectations and until next time,**

**-SilentDaughter**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here´s the next chapter as promised. **

* * *

I practically ran to the throne room, praying that the brothers had gathered there for whatever reason. I was aware that the Cullen´s had followed after me, no doubt wanting a say in the decision. I burst through the heavy double doors, rushing towards the dais.

"Esme? Is there something bothering you? You look frightened." Aro asked as he stood and walked the few paces to where we stood.

"Alice has had a vision. Well a series of visions, really, and the outcomes can go in any direction." I said and Aro immediately held his hand out to Alice. She placed her hand in his and he flicked through her visions and once he saw all he needed to see, he let go of her hand and began to pace, mumbling rapidly in Italian to Marcus and Caius.

"There´s no choice. You have to take Sophia with you and go with the Cullen's." Marcus said and Aro nodded in agreement. Caius, on the other hand was all for me staying to fight.

"It´s a death sentence, Brother. I´ve seen it. If she stays, she will die." Aro hissed at his brother.

"I don't see why she can't stay and defend her home. We all have to put our lives on the line to defend this coven and our home. She needs to step up in her responsibilities as a Queen!" He shouted and in an instant we were standing toe to toe.

"Do you have a problem, Brother?" I asked, my voice dangerously low.

"As a matter of fact I do. You certainly reaped the benefits of being Queen and now you need to give back, Sister." Caius hissed out in turn.

"She has a child, Caius. Sophia´s bond to her is already quite strong. IF Esme were to die, then the child would certainly be affected. Let her protect her child." Marcus butted in. Caius turned on him.

"She needs to pick up her slack! I am tired of carrying her burdens and I am sure some of the guards feel the same way." He challenged.

"Caius, if you detest me so much, then why didn't you get rid of me the first chance you got? You've had almost sixty years, brother." I challenged and he hissed at me. I hissed back. I felt someone grasp onto my wrist and pull me back. I looked to meet Marcus´ eyes and he gently pushed me in Carlisle´s direction.

"Go. Get Sophia and anything you need." He told me and then he looked to Carlisle.

"I am expecting you to take care of her until it is safe for her to return." His expression was slightly threatening and Carlisle nodded before I felt Alice take my arm and brought me to my room. Together, she and Rosalie began packing clothes for me but I stopped them and told them only to grab the essentials for Sophia. I walked to her crib and gently woke her up. I picked her up, grabbed the wipes and a diaper before turning to my bed. I gently laid her down and changed her diaper.

"Here. Dress her in this. It´s going to be cold and we don't want her to get sick, now do we?" Rosalie cooed to Sophia, making my daughter smile for a second before she went back to the water works. I tried to dress her as quickly as possible, but I didn't want to accidentally hurt her, so I was relieved when I had managed to get her dressed in record time.

"Hey, hey. No crying now sweet girl." I cooed to her and tried to get her to calm down. Alice handed me a thick blanket and I bunched it around Sophia. Alice handed a bag to Rosalie and we followed Alice back to the throne room. Marcus and Aro bid me and Sophia goodbye before we were practically rushed out of the castle and out of Italy.

* * *

"Where do you think we should go?" Carlisle asked Edward as we drove towards the airport. Edward was in the passenger seat and Rosalie sat next to me in the back. Alice, Jasper, and Emmett drove behind us.

"Alice is looking through different locations. We can't go to Alaska, not for a while at least. And we can't go back home. Those are the first places they'll look." Edward said.

"How do they know where we're going to go?" I asked. I tightened my grip on Sophia and wiped away a few of her stray tears.

"They have a powerful tracker in their coven, and a mind reader but she has to be touching you." Edward said as he read Alice's visions.

"So she's like Aro then?" Rosalie asked, worry etching on her pretty face. Edward shook his head.

"Kind of. She's able to communicate back, a two way connection like a radio." He clarified.

"If we go to Alaska, then the Denali's will be put in danger."

"How long do we have before they attack the Volturi?" I asked, scared for my coven.

"From what Alice saw, two days, maybe three. Xavier's coven was already quite large but they lived miles apart so they didn't draw the attention of the Volturi but they're creating more newborns. They really want the Volturi gone. Especially you, Esme-" Edward suddenly cut off as he glanced at the car behind us.

"That's brilliant Alice. Carlisle, we have to go to the island." Edward said and I saw Rosalie and Carlisle glance each other via the rearview mirror.

"Island?" I asked as I looked to Rosalie.

"Carlisle bought the Island when Emmett joined us. It's in the middle of the ocean with no human contact. So you can see why we brought him there. He and Jasper had the hardest time adapting." Edward explained and after that, it grew silent, no one talking except Edward as he relayed information from the car behind us.

* * *

The cars screeched to a halt as we stopped a few yards before their plane. It was kind of funny when I was told that they had their own private Jet, even though I didn't know why it was funny. Probably the stress that was beginning to sink in.

We exited the cars and Edward walked with me to the steps. The others boarded the plane and Carlisle went to talk to the pilots.

"Have you been on an airplane before?" He asked and I nodded.

"Has she?" He asked again, motioning to Sophia. I shook my head. Edward sighed and motioned for me to go into the jet. It seemed a lot more spacious than I had expected. Alice motioned for me to join her and Jasper and once I was close enough, handed me a small case.

"What is it?" I asked as I shifted Sophia into one arm so I could open the case.

"Their ear buds. Once we get high enough, the pressure is going to affect her ears. These just help relieve the pressure." Jasper said and I gave him a small smile.

"Thank you." I said and he nodded.

"Are you all ready?" I looked back over my shoulder to see that it was Carlisle who spoke. Alice spoke on the count for all of us and we headed to the rows of seats in the next room over. I broke off small pieces of the wax and put them in Sophia's ear. She protested and whined, but she would have to deal with it for a little while longer.

Suddenly, the plane jerked forward and I glanced out the window, only to see the tarmac fly by as we sped down the runway.

"Here we go." I heard Emmett mutter and soon after, the plane jolted again as we began our ascent.

* * *

"How is she doing?" Jasper asked as he took a seat on the couch across from me.

"She's passed out cold. I guess that's the outcome when you scream and cry for almost an hour." I said and we both chuckled. A few minutes after the jet leveled out, the pressure began taking a toll on her sensitive ears and she cried for almost an hour before Jasper used his ability to calm her down.

"And thank you for helping her. I was starting to panic." I said and he nodded but didn't say anything more. We had been in the air for about two hours now but we still had many more before we went into the Brazil airspace and a few more hours after that until we got to the island.

"How did you find her?" Rosalie asked as she took a seat next to me.

"I went for a walk one night, while everyone else…fed. I was on my way back when I heard a loud noise and crying. I figured someone had been hurt and I went to see if I could help, but when I got there, it was too late. I found what I assumed was her mother, dead in an alley way. She had been shot but because of the location of the wound, it had to have been a quick death. Sophia's carrier was a foot from her mother's body, screaming and crying. I took her out of the carrier and checked her over and when I found that she was okay, I brought her back to the castle with me." I said and when I saw the look on Rosalie's face, I figured she was thinking I was crazy for bringing a baby to a castle of vampires.

"I might have threatened to do serious bodily harm to anyone who hurt her. " I said and from somewhere in the jet, I heard Emmett laugh.

* * *

The trip to the island lasted a little over nine hours with Sophia sleeping for the first four and a half. I think Emmett had the most fun playing with Sophia and Sophia was completely enamored with Rosalie. Edward had told me that Sophia was mystified with how light Rosalie's hair was, but eventually, she grew tired of being passed around and fussed until she was passed back to me. And now, with the island in view, I felt like something was going to happen, something that would change my life for the better.

"Esme?" I receded from the depths of my mind, only to be greeted with Carlisle's kind eyes. I nodded and sent him a reassuring smile. "Are you alright?" He asked and I nodded again.

"I'm fine. I tend to get lost in my mind a bit." I assured him and only when he was sure I was okay, he changed the subject.

"The island should be appearing in a few moments." He said and began a conversation with Edward in a language I didn't understand. I looked to Sophia who at the moment was with Alice, no doubt enjoying the feeling of the wind rushing around us, her laughter lightening the grave atmosphere that had followed us since we fled from Italy. Jasper nudged me and pointed to the darkness ahead of us. It only took me a few moments to see what everyone else saw.

The island was quite large, surely a few miles in any direction, but it was the house about fifty feet away from the shore that caught my attention. It was two stories but it was quite large. There was a wraparound porch and a screened parlor.

"It sure is something, ain't it?" Jasper asked and all I could do was nod. Soon enough, Edward docked the boat and once it was stable, we all filed off the boat and onto the soft sand.

"It's beautiful." I whispered as I took in the island around me. I sensed when Carlisle came into close proximity.

"Come on. I'll give you a tour." He offered and extended a hand towards the house. I turned and found that Sophia had been transferred from Alice to Rosalie, who had already began making her way to the house with Emmett trailing a few feet behind her. I turned back to Carlisle. He gave me a gentle smile and we followed Rosalie and Emmett into the house.

Altogether, there were fourteen rooms. One bedroom and a bathroom for each couple and the two loners of the coven, making the room count eight. Then there was the living room, the parlor, another bathroom, a game room, mudroom, and a never used kitchen.

"You and Sophia can stay in my room until we move on to a bigger house." He surrendered his room and I immediately felt bad.

"Carlisle, I couldn't. It's your room. I'll be fine sleeping on the couch. I can't kick you out of your own room." I said and he shook his head.

"Esme, it's fine, really. I don't use my room except when I have to change after I hunt. Besides, you and Sophia will have a use for it. I haven't slept in over three hundred years." He reassured me and I reluctantly nodded.

"Good. Because Lady Sophia needs a diaper change and maybe a bath." Emmett said as he appeared around the corner with Sophia at arm's length, his face wrinkled in slight disgust. I chuckled and took Sophia into my arms.

"Come on sweetheart. Let's get you cleaned up and then you can get back to playing." I cooed to her and she smiled. I excused myself and walked through Carlisle's room to the attached bathroom and with a final 'thank you' smile to Carlisle, I closed the door and tended to Sophia.

* * *

**This was one of the chapters I liked the least because of all the filler content in the middle of the story. So I apologize if anyone feels the same way.**

**The next chapter is going to start out where this one left off and then skip to the day of the battle in Volterra. Then after the battle, it's going to skip forward again a few months, so just be prepared for a lot of time jumping and maybe a flashback or two. I'll of course mark the time jumps and flashbacks with symbols to make it easier for you guys. Also, expect either a visit from the Denali's or relocation to Alaska and progress in Esme and Carlisle's relationship ;) **

**And as for every post and AN, suggestions are always welcome. I am like 98.561% sure what I want Esme to be ability wise, so keep a look out for any hints, even though I have given a few in previous chapters. **

**So until next time,**

**-SilentDaughter**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry I haven't updated as promised. I spent the last week few weeks at a relative's house while they went through personal issues. I babysat their five kids ( a six year old, three year old triplets, and a just turned one year old ) so I wasn't able to get much of anything done. Everything is good now, so hopefully I'll be able to update more often.**

**Flashback will be indicated with **_italics._

**(*) Represents the beginning and end of a flashback**

**(-) If you didn't know indicates a time jump. **

**As promised, chapter 6 **

* * *

I changed Sophia's diaper as quickly as I could before she could manage to fuss. She really hated having her diaper changed and she hated her bath just as equally. She would whine and wiggle around, but so far she hasn't escaladed to crying yet.

"See. That wasn't so bad now was it?" I asked her softly as I leaned over kissed her on her fore head and frowned when I felt how warm she was. It was incredibly warm on the island but it wasn't overly hot.

"Are you hot?" I asked her and rid her of her onesie. I folded it and left it on the bed. I threw the soiled diaper in the garbage in the bathroom and then picked Sophia up.

"Let's go see what everyone else is up too." I cooed to her and she fisted her right hand in my hair and tried to stuff her left hand in her mouth. I left the confines of Carlisle's room and followed the chatter to the parlor. A few heads turned in my direction when I entered the room.

"Hey! Look who's not stinky anymore!" Emmett boomed as he stood and took Sophia from my arms. Instead of her crying from the abrupt loudness that I have come to associate with Emmett, Sophia just laughed and tugged on Emmett's nose.

"But the million dollar question is; why are you almost bare assed?" Emmett asked and Rosalie slapped him and I shot him a warning glare.

"Language Emmett, please." I asked and he gave me an apologetic smile.

"But why doesn't she have her…umm…whatever it's called on?" He asked as he sat on the floor and gently rested Sophia against his knees.

"She felt too warm and her skin was starting to get a bit sticky. I figured she'd be better off without the extra layers." I shrugged and took a seat adjacent to where Emmett sat with Sophia.

"I remember when I was little, my Mama would let me and my two younger brothers run around naked when it got too hot. We loved to run after our older sister." Emmett paused and smiled at the memory before continuing. "One time, she got so mad at the three of us that one time, she ran right through a patch of poison ivy. She didn't get a rash at all because she was smart and wore a long dress with sleeves and gloves. And after that, we never went after her again. We did get revenge though." He paused again and across from him, Edward burst out laughing. The rest of us looked between the two brothers, confused.

"What did you do?" Alice asked.

"She went out with Mama to the store to get some fabric for her weddin' dress. So while she was gone, we took the liberty of takin' all her dresses and throwin' them in the pond behind our house. We got our hides tanned for that one, but it seemed worth it." Emmett said with a smile and a shrug. Almost immediately, Alice was sucked into a vision and a second later she snapped out of it and punched Emmett.

"Don't even think about it. I don't think you want to find out who's going to be madder because you already know that Rose can't hold a grudge against you." Alice threatened and Edward smirked.

* * *

The rest of the day went by in a relative calmness, but beneath that inch thick layer was where all the worry, anxiousness, and nervousness sat. Throughout the day, Alice had had a few visions. Some weren't related to what was supposed to go down in Italy, and somewhere.

_I had just put Sophia down for the night when I heard Jasper call out to his wife and Edward speaking in hushed whispers. I flew down the steps and came to stand a few feet from where everyone else was standing together. _

"_Has something happened?" I asked, almost too afraid of the answer. I looked at Alice and I could see the horror etched on her delicate features. I turned to Edward, hoping he would tell me._

"_Xavier's coven has created a large army. One that would wipe out the entire city in a few days. Aro has sent expendable members of the guard out in search of potential gifts. As of now, either side could still lose." Edward stopped and scanned his sisters' vision._

"_What is it Edward?" Carlisle coaxed gently._

"_There's one man Aro is seeking out specifically. If he can find him, then it means a sure win. However, this man will bring a lot of damage." He said and I watched as his features too, became pained and horrified. _

* * *

_We've been on the island for five days now and the attack on Volterra would begin at any moment. And over the last five days, Aro had amassed a small, gifted army of his own. Edward had filled us in on the three people whom Aro had deemed gifted enough to live. Three were males. Nicholas, who could heal people by touch. Alexander was able to see people's true intentions. Raphael was incredibly fast and strong Serena, who could project thoughts and images into your mind, proving to be a dangerous threat while being a great asset. Edward had also admitted that Aro had found the man who would ensure their victory, but somehow, he was able to avoid Alice's visions._

"_ESME!" I jumped up and practically flew down the flight of stairs and into the living room where everyone had gathered upon hearing Edwards's urgent hiss._

"_What's wrong?" I asked, frantic that someone had been hurt, or worse, killed._

"_It's begun but it won't last long. A minute and a half tops. Xavier's coven outnumbers the Volturi three to one but with Jane and Serena's gifts, the other coven doesn't stand a change." Edward said and Emmett crossed his arms and Rosalie took a step closer her husband. Jasper stood behind Alice, his arms around his wife, brining any comfort he could while she was stuck in the horrors of the vision. Edward and Carlisle stood a foot apart, leaving me to examine the dynamics of the coven who had taken me in without question. Sure, I had known Jasper for decades, but apart from the few letters' we sent to one another, we didn't stay in contact, but when he came with the Cullen's, it was like I had just seen him the day before. _

"_Marcus is hurt. So is Demetri, but they're being healed by Nicholas. Xavier's coven is already down more than half of its fighters. Aro's planning to offer a place in the guard for their surrender." Edward announced and I felt my already slow heart speed up. Marcus was like a father to me, stepping in to guide me after I was taken away from my true father. Demetri was more like an extended cousin of an extended cousin. We haven't spoken to each other all but a few paragraphs in the last fifty odd years. _

_The seconds ticked by in what felt like eternities. I know I should probably calm down. Jasper didn't need all the added stresses, but there were still forty seven seconds left. _

_I worried more for my daughter than the position I held and the people I held it with. They were more capable of defending themselves then Sophia was. She needs me to take care of her until she can prove she can take care of herself. _

_I was brought out of my worried thoughts when I felt a cold hand brush against mine. I looked to my right and was greeted with the familiar and comforting sight and scent of Carlisle. He gave me a reassuring smile and nudged my hand again, except this time, he linked our pinky fingers together and didn't let go. _

"_It's over. Everything is going to be alright tomorrow." Edward said suddenly a few moments later and Carlisle and I separated our hands to a more respectable distance. _

"_Everyone's going to be okay?" I asked even though Edward had just said that everything was going to be alright. Alice nodded before she was sucked into another vision. This one lasted all of ten seconds and her and Edward smiling. _

"_Alice?" Jasper questioned his wife and she just turned over her shoulder and kissed him. _

"_Is everything alright?" Carlisle asked. Alice nodded. _

"_Everything's going to be fine. More than fine actually. Sophia's going to wake up." Alice said and flitted off, Jasper following behind her._

The brief battle was more than a month ago now, but Jasper and Carlisle had agreed that we should stay for a while longer just in case a few members of Xavier's coven had decided to stand back and attack again, this time with no warning but so far, nothing had happened and Alice hadn't had a vision.

Sophia had reached a milestone of her own. She had finally mastered the art of fully rolling over and sitting up with little difficulty. Carlisle had given her a more in-depth examination and placed her at about six months. He was a little worried that she had not yet begun to start crawling or trying to sound out one syllable words, but he said that it could just be a slight delay because of the drastic changes in her short life or simply because she wasn't ready yet.

After our first week at the island, I made a trip with Carlisle, Edward, and Rosalie to the mainland to stock up on baby essentials, food for myself, and more clothing for the rest of us and with all the supplies we had, and we could have not ventured to the main land for another few weeks.

I had grown closer to the Cullen's as well. Their trust in me grew as they got to know me –except for Jasper- like Marcus had said. I had grown especially close to Carlisle. He was incredibly sweet and kind hearted. He always asked my permission to sit if he entered a room I was alone in. He made time for us to talk to discuss anything and everything we could think of, Edward, more often than not, joining in. I also found that I had begun to see Carlisle in a different light than I saw the other's in. I would be thinking about what Marcus told me in the halls of the castle and then I would think about Carlisle and wonder if that's what he really meant by forming bonds.

Sophia also had her favorites in our make shift family. When she was feeling particularly playful, she would go to Emmett and he would instantly bend to her will. She went to Jasper if she just wanted to relax and Rosalie and Alice if she wanted to be coddled and cooed over. She liked going to Edward when he was playing on the piano because he would let her pound on the keys and she got a kick out of it. Edward told me one day that besides me, she liked being with Carlisle the most because he was gentle and he made her feel safe and secure, but she always spent ninety percent of her days with me.

And that's where we were now. Sophia resting in my arms as she drifted towards her afternoon nap. I sat in the rocking chair, humming softly as I helped her towards the dream land that was waiting for her.

"She's asleep." Edward told me a few minutes later. I nodded but didn't stop rocking. I swept a lock of her baby hair to the side with my finger and bent my head to place a kiss to her head. I focused my attention to the conversation.

"Well where do you think we should go?" Rosalie mocked Edward.

"I don't care. Whose turn is it anyways to choose?" Edward bit back in turn. I smiled at the bickering.

"Where do you want to go, Esme?" Alice suddenly asked. Everyone else ceased their movements just as I ceased rocking.

"I don't want to offend you, but I thought that once the month was over, I would be going back to Italy." I said but it was more of a question. Edward looked to Carlisle then back to Alice.

"I've seen you with us for the next few years. In all my visions, Sophia was older, maybe five or six and that's when I don't see either of you in my visions." Alice said and I immediately began to worry. What did that mean for Sophia? What did that mean for me? I already knew that I would do anything to protect my child, but it was up to the Fates to decide how far I would go.

"We won't let anything happen to you or Sophia." Edward said, his voice gentle and sure. I frowned and shook my head.

"No. I refuse to put you all in danger. If absolutely necessary, I will leave Sophia behind with you and take off. The less the enemy knows of my whereabouts, the safer you will be and the safer Sophia will be." I said, crossing my arms across my chest defiantly. Alice shook her head.

"From what I feel, you and Sophia are alive when my vision stops. I feel all of us being happy, and then something happens and you're scared. The rest of us are angry, incredibly angry, and Carlisle's scared and worried and…something else, but I can't place it." She drifted off and flicked through other visions.

"We're going to Alaska." Alice said suddenly and everyone seemed nonplused with the decision. Edward groaned and Emmett smirked.

"Excited to Tanya…Eddie." Emmett teased and Edward hissed. Rosalie rolled her eyes and stood from her spot next to Emmett when Alice stood and grinned at Rosalie.

"We'll need to go back to the mainland to bring back winter clothes for you and the baby. Any requests?" Alice asked as Jasper left the house, presumably to get the boat ready. I shook my head in the negative.

"No. Thank you. Just something warm for Sophia. I'll be fine." I said and Alice nodded with a smile before she flitted through the door with Rosalie following her. I was confused. Everyone else seemed content with going to Alaska, but with the mention of a woman named Tanya, Edward had reacted negatively. Was there something wrong with this Tanya?

"Oh, please. Not you too, Esme." Edward groaned as he collapsed back into a chair. I looked between Carlisle and Emmett. Emmett looked smug and Carlisle looked sorry for the eldest boy.

"We have a cousin clan in Denali, Alaska. I met the patriarch about a century and a half ago while staying with the Volturi. Eleazar. He has a very unique gift, you see. And one day, he met his mate, who was under suspicion for a crime. He asked for my help in talking to Aro on letting him leave the guard." Carlisle began and stopped, letting me ask any questions I may have.

"And Aro let him leave? I haven't met anyone with that name." I asked, hoping that this apparent friend of Carlisle's hadn't been killed.

"He's okay. He and his coven maintain a residence and territory in Alaska. It allows them to be as natural as they can without having to worry about humans." Edward said from his position in the chair, his arm thrown over his eyes.

"And I'm guessing this Tanya woman is a part of Eleazar's coven?" I asked and I knew I was right when Emmett's smirk widened and Edward sank further into the chair.

"She's one of the lone females in the coven. She's had her eyes set on Edward for years now." Emmett said and Edward hissed at his brother.

"One of?" I asked, wondering how many vampires there were in this group.

"There's Eleazar and his mate Carmen. Then there's the Denali sisters. Kate, Tanya, and Irina." Carlisle explained, trying to save his adopted son any further ridicule from his younger brother.

"They don't seem that bad." I said as I adjusted Sophia in my arms. She had gained a little weight during our stay on the island and I had learned with distaste that my arms couldn't handle holding her for hours on end like before, but it never stopped me so I know I won't let it. I shifted Sophia again and stilled when Sophia let out a whine. From my peripheral vision, I saw Edward stiffen and his gaze lock on Sophia.

"What's going through her mind?" I asked, becoming more and more worried as she began to fuss more.

"She's having a nightmare. She remembers what happened to her birth mother, but she doesn't understand what happened. She knows that after something happened to her mother, you found her, but she's scared of what happened to her birth mother happening to you. From what I see, she's incredibly scared. She's waking up." Edward said, sadness written in his gaze. And sure enough, seconds later, Sophia's wide chocolate brown eyes opened and filled with tears.

I stood from the rocker and began to pace in front of the large bay windows, holding Sophia close to me to that her head rested under my chin. I hummed softly, attempting to settle her before she got too worked up. I was aware of the eyes that were watching me, but I couldn't find it in me to care. I cooed and talked to Sophia softly.

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise. I'm going to be there every day of your life. I'm going to be there when you say your first words and take your first steps and when you're older, we're going argue over what time you go to bed and what you want for dinner. You're stuck with me, little one." I spoke softly and quietly to Sophia as I pointed out various things through the window as the sun set. When I finally felt her breathing even out, I turned to face the Cullen men who remained. The expressions on their faces were hard to read, but I didn't take any time to ponder the expressions as I bid them a good night and retreated up the stairs.

* * *

That night was the first time I had had a nightmare – well more of a night terror – in a very long time. I kept seeing bits and pieces of something. I knew something bad was happening, very bad, but I had no clue what was going on. I recognized the Cullen's and the Volturi, but there was another vampire standing a few yards in front of me with Carlisle in a strangle hold and another body at the man feet. Suddenly, that dream vanished and another one began. This time I did know what was going on.

Charles had come home from work a lot later than normal. I had cooked his favorite meal and waited for him to come home, but after one hour, then two passed, I had given in to my hunger and ate, wrapping up the rest of the food and putting it in the fridge and his plate in the oven.

That night's beating had been particularly brutal. He had come in, stumbling drunk, furious as to why I was asleep at nearly three in the morning. Each punch and kick and slap was strategically placed to increase my pain tenfold and for the year and a half after that, no other beating was nearly as painful.

Again the dreams changed without warning, switching back to my first dream. The man still had Carlisle in a hold and said something but I couldn't hear what, then there was a series of angry snarling from the coven behind me. I looked again to the body at the man's feet and only realized then that it was female and to be in her late teens or early twenties and the longer I stared at the fallen female, the colder I got and the more…lifeless…I felt.

Then suddenly, the man snarled and twisted his arms in opposing directions, separating Carlisle's head from his body, throwing the half's at my feet before kicking the body of the woman at my feet as well. My heart stopped and my stomach fell when I saw the pain in Carlisle's glassy eyes, my soul draining away, but it was the woman next to Carlisle that made me scream out in complete agony.

Those eyes, eyes that I would know anywhere. My Sophia. My darling Sophia lay slain at my feet, her blood staining the snow that cushioned her body. I fell to my knees, the rest of my soul seeping away as I cradled her in my arms. The death of my daughter was one whole lever of pain and agony, but having seen Carlisle die and seeing his body a few feet from mine brought out a whole new level of pain and agony that I had never felt before nor could I describe.

Quite abruptly, my body began to shake as my cries became more anguished. I could hear someone yelling, but it seemed like it was coming from the other side of a long tunnel that began to become clearer and clearer.

"Esme?" I recognized the voice but I paid it no mind as I carefully settled my daughters lifeless body back in the soft encasement of the snow as lunged at the man who had taken everything away from me. The snarls that were ripping their way from my chest sounded like nothing I had never heard before, something I hoped to never hear again.

"ESME!" There was that voice again. It sounded closer and clearer and familiar, but I was too focused and hell bent on killing this man who had killed my daughter and Carlisle, but as soon as my body collided with the man, my dream ended and I was sucked back to reality.

"Esme? Esme! Can you hear me?" It took me a moment to register the voice or the hands on my face. Soon enough, my mind caught up too my eyes and I realized that it was Carlisle who had been speaking to me and whose hands were on my face.

"Carlisle?" Even to me my voice sounded small and lost. When I said his name, however, he looked almost…relieved? He looked behind me and nodded at someone and that's when I realized there was someone behind me, holding my arms across my middle. I took a breath and realized that it was Emmett who had pinned my arms around me. With a gentle squeeze, Emmett let go of my arms and slid out from behind me and went and stood next to the door.

"Esme? Esme, look at me." Carlisle spoke softly, tilting my head up to look him in the eye. My eyes had trouble focusing, but they eventually focused on Carlisle's concerned and frightened honey colored eyes. In that moment, I became aware of the type of screaming that could only belong to a small being.

"Sophia?" I asked my voice desperate for my daughter. Carlisle again took my face in his hands when I tried to look past Emmett.

"Esme, Sophia's fine. She's downstairs with Rosalie and Alice, Jasper and Edward. Do you want to go to Sophia?" He asked and I immediately nodded. I stood but my legs gave out from under me, but before I could fall more than a few inches, Carlisle had his arm wrapped around my waist, holding me up. Emmett moved forward to help but Carlisle subtly shook his head and left Emmett to follow after us.

When we got to the stairs, Carlisle had to practically carry me down. Usually, I would have been overwhelmingly embarrassed I would have demanded to be put down and not be able to look at Carlisle in the eye for hours, but I was too focused on the cries of my daughter.

Finally, when Sophia was in my sight, I managed to summon up all the strength I had left and separated myself from Carlisle and wobbled the few feet to where Sophia was being held by Rosalie. Rosalie met me half way and gently transferred a very distressed Sophia into my arms and I felt my heart clench painfully in relief as my body accepted the weight of my daughter. I was guided to the nearest couch and made to sit down, knowing that had I not been forced to sit, my legs would have given out again.

"What happened?" I heard Rosalie asked. I didn't dare move my gaze from Sophia, so I settled on listening to the conversation.

"She had a nightmare which was more like a night terror that went beyond a night terror to fully describe what it was." Edward said, his voice strained. I immediately felt terrible that he had to see what I had seen, no doubt having to watch the death of his father.

"It's not your fault Esme." He told me, his voice taking on a gentler, more tired tone.

"She went to bed with Sophia about an hour after you three left. Everything was quiet for about six or seven hours before she began to mumble and her heart beat sped up. Carlisle went to make sure she was okay and when he thought she was, he came back down here and started going through a few of his journals." Emmett began to fill in the siblings that had been absent for most of my outburst.

"When did things begin to get this bad?" This time, it was Jasper who spoke. There was silence for a while before Edward spoke up again. I felt bad that he had to relive what I had seen and mentally asked him if he could leave out the bit about Charles. I could practically feel him shake his head.

"You need to tell them, Esme. They need to know so they can understand and help you." He pushed me and gave a heavy sigh over Sophia's weakening cries. I deliberated in my mind until Edward offered to tell them. I gave him consent.

"From what I gathered in her night terror, she was abused terribly by her husband before Aro found her. Every night he beat her, I mean _really beat _her." He hissed and all the movement in the room stopped. The only noises were mine and Sophia's heartbeat and her whimpers.

"The beating she had in her dream was of him beating her and…_using… _her after he came home from work in the early hours of the morning and not seeing dinner still on the table. God, I-I-I can't get her cries and pleading out of my head." Edward cried as he doubled over and fisted his hands in his hair. With reluctance, he continued on to tell the others what I had dreamed and everyone's face fell when he revealed I had seen Carlisle's death and seeing an already dead Sophia.

"We need to get her to Alaska. Now. Eleazar is the only one who can help her. It's only going to get worse before things even begin to get better." Alice said as she took a step away from Jaspers embrace. Carlisle took a step closer to me.

"What do you mean? She's in no state to travel." Carlisle was defensive in his stance but I chalked it up to his more rational, doctor-ly side making an appearance. Alice shook her head and crossed her arms, almost challenging him to defy her.

"We have no choice. She just saw a future."

* * *

**MAJOR cliff hanger. I had to make up for the lack of posts and updates and I felt that this chapter would – hopefully – make up for it. ANY and ALL feedback is more than welcomed and so are suggestions. It you have any, you can send me a message and I will see what I can do. **

**I dropped a few bombs on you and I apologize if this overwhelmed anyone because it certainly overwhelmed me. **

**There were also a lot of hints as to Esme's gift and the 'vision' she saw. The way this chapter turned out was nothing compared to what I had previously envisioned. **

**Challenge: What did you like or not like about this chapter? **

**There's a lot more I want to say in this A/N, but I'll cut it short so I can get started on the next chapter for all my lovely readers. **

**Until next time,**

**-SilentDaughter**


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